It's April

 We are only home  six weeks from exotic foreign adventures (Northumberland and Bolton) and we are off again to the same places!! Easter in Geordie land and then a bit of child care in Bolton. Thought it a good idea post an update on what has been happening in the meantime.

The local patch has added a couple of expected visitors in sandwich tern and lesser black-backed gull, while the garden finches had a post all of their own. Other than that it's been a slow transition into spring with  the occasional cold wintry day. It looks like the classic spring migrants will be seen in England rather than Northern Ireland. 

WOW is also mired in winter with all seven winter ducks still present and very few migrants to quicken the pulse so far. We have added a few species . A male pintail spent a lot of time with its rear end up in the air and we finally added Mediterranean gull to the list in mid March. This week I finally found a dunnock -  it only took three months - and three sandwich terns flew in. Hopefully they will breed again this year rather than going to Cockle Island where high spring tides and predatory rats seem to have pushed them out. We might even get some of the arctic terns as well as they haven't bred successfully since 2022.

Godwit at rest

Poor shot of an uncooperative Med gull

Uncooperative pintail

That's better

Class of 2021 back again

Med gull standing up

As you know, the two patches don't provide all the birds I see, so there have been a few wee excursions elsewhere. A trip through the north quarries at Scrabo added raven and chiffchaff. JBirds - Birding by boat arranged an excursion through Lough Beg on a fine warm sunny afternoon and this was an excellent trip through an area I have viewed from land, so the chance to see it from the water was too good to pass up. I clocked up 37 species including an unexpected fieldfare in a tree at Toome, a green sandpiper along the Bann, sand martins overhead and the piece de resistance -11 glossy ibis in flight. As usual I have some nice scenic views but here is a link to the JBirds Facebook page where people with good cameras who know how to use them have posted their shots. 

JBirds - Birding by Boat | Facebook

This is the main page, you will have to scroll down to reach the Lough Beg trip on March 21st. there are lots of good shots of a wide variety of birds well worth looking at.  There are at least a dozen posts from different people on the trip, so keep on going and don't miss the sparrowhawk pretending it is an osprey which was seen on the morning trip. Kingfisher was also seen by a few people but didn't pose for a picture. I also added dipper on the Inver River at Larne as the 2026 list moves ahead ready for the migrant bonanza that is April and May. 

Primroses at Scrabo

Chiffchaff tree at Scrabo

Our boat on the Bann

Bridge at Toomebridge

Church Island from Lough Beg

New LIFER for me, can I add it to all my lists?

 

2026 

115: Water pipit

116: Mediterranean gull

117: Chiffchaff

118: Raven

119: Sand martin

120: Fieldfare

121: Green sandpiper

122: Glossy ibis

123: Sandwich tern

124: Dipper

NDCP patch

53: Guillemot

54: Sandwich tern

55: Lesser black-backed gull

Belfast RSPB patch

62: Starling

63: Pintail

64: Mediterranean gull

65: Sandwich tern

66: Dunnock (DOH!!)

Has spring sprung?

Early March usually throws a few bright sunny days at us and then plunges us back to winter. This year has been no exception. Winter birds are still with us and summer arrivals are still in Africa. The garden produced a siskin which is par for March and there are still at least three blackcaps squabbling over food. 

I submitted my Birdwatch Ireland garden bird survey which had no real surprises. Blackbirds (9), goldfinch (12), chaffinch (9) and linnet (9) topped the poll, while I managed single sightings of sparrowhawk, goldcrest, wren, siskin, house sparrow and song thrush.  I also had bullfinch and greenfinch sporadically The format is different from the RSPB one hour blitz. It lasts for three months and you record each week the highest number of each bird species observed. The count resets on Monday so each week is a clean start with something to look out for. In total I recorded 27 species from December to February. 

Female siskin

Ditto

Blackcap (M)

Blackcap(F)

Maximum count of these guys was 12

I have not walked the coastal path since my return from England due to falling in snow in Bolton and cracking a rib. Not recommended if you have never done it. The doctor says I should listen to my body and my body told me not to be daft and act my age!! I can sit in a hide and drink coffee but walking is still a bit painful. Hopefully I'll manage short walks in a week or two. 

The upshot of this enforced inactivity is that the North Down patch has not moved much, neither has the 2022 list, so it is all down to WOW for a bit of excitement. Water levels remain high as it has been a bit wet and it is too risky to lower it and risk it drying out - I'm glad I don't have to make the decisions. This week we had all sorts of excitement with a goldeneye showing well. They winter in the Lough but no one can remember ever seeing one in the reserve. There were also 2 ruff, 2 little grebes and a wide selection of ducks, waders and gulls, including a stonking Mediterranean gull throwing it's weight around the islands and threatening the 558 black-headed gulls which are in to nest. I managed 37 species with no feeders up for tits and finches. Two greylag at Kinnegar were also an addition to the list. We also had a monster ship sailing out. This Russian owned tanker was in for repair and was causing questions to be asked as to whether it was allowed to be here. Today it cut short the debate by sailing out. 

Goldeneye

Large boat

Yes the wee boat is a Stena ferry

Med preening

Med posing

Lord of all I survey

2022

111: Black grouse

112: Mediterranean gull

North Down 
49: Wren

Belfast RSPB
59: Pintail

60: Greylag goose

61: Ruff

62: Mediterranean gull

A hint of spring?

For the first time in 2020 I went to walk the coastal path into Bangor and it finally felt, looked and sounded like a spring day. Birdsong filled the air, the sun shone and daffodils were in blooom. No migrants as yet but a grey heron on the rocks brightened the day. WOW on Thursday provided over 50 species if you count the waders and geese at Kinnegar. The highlight was the return of the Mediterranean gulls to the tern island. They were first noted on 1st March  and we had two around the reserve. We also had the first ruff of the spring as well as a few guilllemots in the channel. The black-headed gulls are finally showing an interest in nesting and there were over 60 in and around the islands. The team at WOW are looking to preserve a part of the island for the terns which arrive later so it will be interesting to see if they are successful. Last year there were over 500 gull nests before the terns arrived so any chance of roseates and arctics hanging around was minimal. I also added a pair of dippers to the list at Mossley as well as slavonian grebe and long-tailed duck off Macedon Point in Whiteabbey. Thanks to Stuart who happened to be there with his scope. I picked up the three ducks but would have struggled to find the grebes.

All in all it looks as if the worst of the winter has moved on. Here on the east coast of Northern Ireland we have not had a really long cold spell but it has been a trifle wet so the reserve is well filled up and ready for the summer visitors. The winter ducks are still with us plus a red-breasted merganser which seems to be finding something to eat. Here are a few shots to brighten your day. .

Hauxley

Hauxley

WOW

Merganser at WOW

Med gull at WOW

2020
115: Meadow pipit
116: Dipper 
117: Slavonian grebe
118: Long-tailed duck
119: Mediterranean gull

Bangor West
52: Grey heron

Belfast WOW

64: Mediterranean gull

65: Ruff

66: Guillemot

Mud, mud, glorious mud!

Last week saw the WOW reserve even drier than the week before. We managed around 30 species including some returning waders - curlew, bar-tailed godwit and ringed plover. A peregrine put in three appearances and most of the waders vanished, but not before we had counted them. There were 2 arctic terns and one sandwich as well as 400+ common terns. The most interesting sight was a Mediterranean gull chick (one of this year's young) eating a common tern chick. The adult terns were giving it grief, but it wasn't moving and by this stage  the chick was well gone. It was seen doing the same over the weekend, so must have decided it's an easy meal.

Med gull with common tern chick

Med gull with common tern chick

Med gull with common tern chick

Med gull with common tern chick

Bar-tailed godwit and curlew

Mud.....

mud.....

glorious mud

Common tern (and mud)

In it's former glory

Water, water everywhere

There was a lot of rain on Saturday, Aldergrove recorded 88 mm in 3 hours. The July monthly average is 91 mm. It was not as heavy as that in Belfast but hopefully there will be some improvement this week. No updates to 2018 totals, they haven't changed.

The spring has sprung.....

The spring has sprung
The grass is riz
I wonder where dem boidies is?
The little boids is on de wing......... all over the patches!!

At last we have movement, rising temperatures and a flood of migrants. Mind you I haven't managed to connect with them all just yet, but I have managed a few. The coastal path finally turned up a sandwich tern and the WOW patch added quite a few, especially on Saturday when I helped to take some members round the Harbour Meadows site. This area is normally closed to the public but the RSPB are holding a series of guided walks to let members see where their money is going. This was a fascinating insight into what goes on in this area and the changes that have had to be made as the site is next door to Belfast City Airport. The highlight for me was a small marsh where we put up 22 snipe and 2 jack snipe. We also saw reed bunting, buzzard, heron, stonechat, willow warbler, blackcap, chiffchaff and meadow pipit. Water rails were heard as well. I was so busy taking photographs for the RSPB I forget to take some for myself, fortunately Margaret sent me one taken near WOW. I will try to see if Chris can let me use the ones I took for him!

Walking at WOW by Margaret Adamson

The garden is still pulling in birds as you can see, nothing extravagant except for a female blackcap which I managed not to snap.

Bully

Bully singing

Collared dove

Punk greenfinch

Mr & Mrs

Passer domesticus (F)

WOW is still between winter and summer with wintering ducks being serenaded by willow warblers and blackcaps. Only one tern so far - a sandwich, and only one migrant ruff. The big attraction is the Mediterranean gulls which appear to be in breeding mood again this year.Numbers vary between one and five on the big island.

Other attractions are as follows

Black-tailed godwit getting more orange

Eider on the river

Hunting heron

The herons and hooded crows will not be around much longer as the gulls and terns will chase them once they are on eggs.As you can see they are getting "jiggy-jiggy" and for a short time we are able to tell male from female! They are probably two to three weeks later than they were last year.

 

Home decoration

Late news from today (Saturday) was a Patch Gold wheatear on the rocks at Stricklands, the first I remember seeing in 25 years of walking the coastal path. Right place right time, the 4 purple sandpipers near Pickie were also not expected in April, but were starting to show signs of breeding plumage and will not be around much longer. It is always nice to see a winter leaver and a summer arrival in the same area at the same time. My first wheatear last year was in the Bocquer Valley in Majorca.

2018  
113: Chiffchaff
114Swallow
115: Ruff
116: Willow warbler
117: Jack snipe
118: Wheatear

Bangor West
59: Sandwich tern
60: Wheatear

Belfast WOW
71: Rook
72: Snipe
73: Long-tailed tit
74: Ruff
75: Jack snipe
76: Willow warbler
77: Blackcap
78: Chiffchaff